An American activist and ALS patient has asked Joe Biden to deliver on his promise of dropping patents so that Covid-19vaccines can be shared with the world to control the pandemic.
Ady Barkan, who is also the co-founder of ‘Be a Hero’ campaign, shared a video on Sunday on social media where he reminds the US president of his promise, in July 2020, to share the Covid-19 vaccine with the world without the issue of patents coming in the way.
Mr Biden was campaigning for the presidential elections and the video shows Mr Barkan asking him that if the US discovers the vaccine for Covid-19 will he share the technology with other countries without patents related rules standing in the way so that mass production can take place of life-saving vaccines.
Mr Biden had replied: “Absolutely, positively. This is the only humane thing in the world to do.” Mr Barkan reminded Joe Biden that he had agreed to do so without any hesitation or mincing any words.
The video then cuts to May 2021 where the social activist reminds Mr Biden of his promise and says that both of them are safe from the deadly pandemic because they could get the vaccine but millions around the world are not as lucky.
Mr Barkan, who speaks using text to speech computer programme, said: “We will stay safe if we vaccinate the entire world. That is the only way we can prevent the development of vaccine resistant coronavirus variants.”
The social activist said that at the WTO meeting on 5 May, “all eyes will be on America.”
“[It] will be your moment … America’s moment to steer us down to a more just and humane path. Governments from around the globe will gather at the World Trade Organisation. They will ask America to waive their rules that are bocking them from making enough vaccines to protect their people.
“We will decide the answer to the world’s plea. What kind of leadership will we display. The answer Mr President is up to you.”
In October 2020, India and South Africa had moved a proposal at the WTO asking to waive the patents on Covid-19 vaccines, but it was not accepted. At the 5 May meeting of the WTO, they are expected to once again make the request with a revised text.
Mr Barkan, meanwhile, reminded Mr Biden that American innovation has delivered help and safety to Americans but billions around the world have been excluded.
“Their dreams are no less real than ours, their love is no less strong, their lives are no less worthy. But because they live somewhere else because they have less money because the international laws are unfair because the pharmaceutical companies are so greedy millions more people may die of this disease. You know that this is wrong. You know it in the marrow of your bones,” he said.
